“Oh! Look over there!” Eve cried in excitement, pointing a delicate finger outwards at a young couple. “That woman’s completely enraged with her husband.” Henry’s emerald green hues poked out upon the beyond in the direction she was pointing, “Where?” he quipped. “Right there, you twit!” Eve giggled, enforcing where her pointer finger was directed, “Don’t you see that blonde haired women in the yellow skirt? She’s holding a basket full of apples.” Henry recapped his vision, his eyes widening upon finally coming across the right group, “I see it now.” He said, curtly. Eve snickered blissfully, “Look at her! She’s so angry! And look at the man! He doesn’t even know how to make things better between them. Oh, newlyweds…” she leaned back on her palms, “They don’t even know how to deal with each other yet…” Henry blinked and casted a puzzled glower Eve’s way, “How do you know all of this stuff?”

“Well, isn’t it obvious?” The young woman stated, smoothing out her turquoise gown and lifting her eyes upon the duo. “Look…” she sighed, “It’s evident this was their first quarrel, don’t you see how distraught the woman looks? And look how tightly she has her hands around the handles of her basket; they’re practically trembling with rage.” She moved her hands, imitating the actions of the two people with vivid hand gestures. “And take a gander at the man; he’s obviously timid to the situation. He keeps looking at his lover and then looking the other way, fiddling with his fingers, and parting his lips as to say something them clamping them shut. It’s apparent he hasn’t yet resolved such a petty argument that a freshly married couple would have… Oh, I hope they set aside the bickering soon. It’d be sad not to see them around anymore.”

“You mean you’ve seen them around before?” Henry asked. Eve smirked and ripped her gaze from the couple to her brother, “Mhm.” She proclaimed proudly, “I knew them when they were just seeing each other; they were awfully charming… so it’s quite sad to see them at such a low state. But it’s expected of new-fangled matrimonies.” Henry chortled, “You must come here a lot, Sis… don’t you?” A melancholy smirk tugged at Eve’s lips and she looked down, “Not as much as I’d like to. Father doesn’t really like it when I visit here… but there’s not much he can do when Mother sends me off to run errands.” Henry flouted Eve’s rather dismayed response; he stood up and brushed the grass off of his jockey-line trousers. “Well then, we mustn’t keep dad waiting any longer, right? Besides… Mother was mentioning how we all had to be home before sundown to prepare for Daddy’s ball.” Eve suppressed the words about to bubble from her lips, gave a soft smirk and stood as well. After leveling out her profligate dress, she took her hand and ruffled Henry’s mousy hair. “You’re right, little brother. Let’s go home.” She softly concurred, a trapped sadness glittering in her eyes.

-

“My children!” Marion Ravensdale exclaimed merrily upon Eve and Henry’s return, “Have you fetched the cane sugar like I asked of you, love?” the mother quipped, wrapping her slender arms around Eve’s form. Hugging back, Eve flashed her a toothy grin, “But of course I did, mum.” She stated, presenting an embroidered cloth sack to her and setting it upon the counter. “You doll.” Marion swooned, “Did you have fun at the park today, dear?” she whispered into her ear in a low tone. Eve closed her eyes and shook her head faintly with a distant smile, thanking the heavens that at least her mother allowed her to visit the park. Her mother used errands as a decoy to fool their father… or else he’d have a fit. “A splendid time, indeed.” Eve murmured back to her mother. “Good, good.” Marion uttered, placing a soft and motherly kiss upon Eve’s creamy white cheek. “Mum! Evie! Henry!” a shrill voice called out upon the silence, and then entered little Lillian adorned in an adorable, shimmering, and magenta gown. “Oh, it’s perfect, love!” Marion gasped, practically floating towards the child, “You’re the most stunning hydrangea of them all.” Cupping her hands on the small person’s rosy cheeks and lifting her head up to gape upon her for a small moment. “Well then,” Marion began, letting go of Lillian’s chin and fixing her attention to Eve and Henry, “It’s time you two be fitted into your outfits, then. So off you go now! Go!” she shooed at them, swiping her hands in notification to depart. “Yes, mum.” The two retorted in unison, leaving the main quarters of the mansion and striding off to their separate dressing areas.

-

“The buggy should be here by seven sharp, loves! That’s about in fifteen, then. Are you near to being ready?” the mother hastily called from the ground level of the glorious, Ravensdale manor. “You two best hurry up!” Lester Ravensdale, the father, shouted out to them as well. “I mustn’t be tardy to my own ceremony…” he chortled. “That would be drastically rude.” After a beat, a child’s voice rang outwards in glee, “I’m ready!” Henry proclaimed, prancing down the grand staircase with a maid not too far behind him. “Henry…” Marion proclaimed proudly, “You look absolutely fit!” Lester grabbed a hold of the young boy’s shoulder as he approached his parents with pride, “Fit to be a prince.” He stated triumphantly, being father-like and straightening out Henry’s prestigious suit and adornments as well as fixing his adroitly parted hair. “Now where’s that sister of yours, love?” Marion inquired as Lester hastily secured the clasp upon Henry’s suit jacket. “Over here, mother.” Eve hummed from the top of the spiraling, golden-adorned stairwell. And when eyes fell upon the young female, hues were ample and jaws had dropped to the floor. She had been garbed into a bravura, intricate and positively striking scarlet and ebony ball gown; laced up with satin ties upon her gaunt back, a top that hugged flawlessly upon her curves and extenuated her most prominent parts, and the bottom of the evening dress flowed downwards as if an endless, beautifully rippling crimson sea. She was tastefully embellished with the finest of gold upon her wrist, ears, and neck, and her hair was pulled into tight and glittering barrel roll curls. Her light green hues dazzled, and her lips were painted a romantic shade of red. Lifting her poufy gown, she clicked down the grand staircase with care, being sure not to topple over and end her life right there and then.

Flabbergasted by Eve’s stunning appearance, the family hadn’t known when to speak or even breathe. Gaping aimlessly at the female, make her way to the last steps of the prolonged stairway, words finally embraced Lester’s lips, “And you…” he started, approaching his wonderful daughter. He rested his thumb underneath her velvet chin and gently pressed the side of his pointer finger directly to her chin. The father arose her face to meet him eye-level, he peered into her glistening orbs as if searching for something. “And you are a rose.” He finally complimented her, smiling pompously at the young woman and releasing her chin. “Mum! Mum!” Lillian’s frail voice called out with enthrallment. Scampering across the jeweled floors, the youngling reached her mother’s arms and clung to them innocently. “What is it, love?” Marion quipped tenderly, peering down at the child inquisitively. “I just saw the carriage pull up from the street! The horses are shiny and white with golden bridles and saddles!” Lillian squealed, spinning one in an excited circle. “The little one is right.” A butler proclaimed, opening the majestic door entrance, “The carriage is ready for you whenever you please.” And the tall man held the door open for the Ravensdales. Marion gently tapped Lillian’s nose lovingly and she looked up and over at the rest of her family, “Well Lester, kids… shall we?” She took Eve’s arm in her own and gawked at her daughter admirably, “You look so striking, Evelyn.” She cooed, and the family set off towards the glorious front entrance.

-

“Well done, sir.” A man accoladed Mr. Ravensdale, taking his hand shaking it firmly, “I’ve never seen such a wonderful building other than your home.” Lester simply laughed, patting the suited man’s back, “Why, thank you!” A crowd suspended around the Ravensdale father, yearning for answers, replies, and even just the shard of the chance to speak with a man of enormous accomplishment. “Oh! Oh! Oh! Well now, Henry you are the most dashing man to walk these ball floors!” shouted Auntie Gwendolyn, the portly woman squeezing Henry’s small form with a mad giggle. The poor little boy looked towards Eve for guidance, and Eve gave him a teasing giggle before striding off on her own. The ball was full-fledged; people accented the dance floor in intricate colors and personalities, and waltz-like music played by a luxurious, high-end orchestra that bounced elegantly from wall to wall of the massive party building. Eve’s green eyes caught sight of Lillian and her mother wooing another group of party guests with their imminent charms. Chortling softly to herself, she lifted her extravagant, feathered mask to her face and carefully continued her small stroll. “May I have this dance?” a soothing voice peered out from behind her. Spinning on the ball of her heel, she turned to see a tall man gazing down at her from behind a rather odd looking mask. Although she hadn’t bothered to practice her waltz in weeks, she hooked her mask upon her face to prepare for movement, “Why...yes you may.” She replied, courteously and smiling beneath for elegant mask.